No More Running
by WinterFairy7337
Summary: "Why are you fighting your feelings and running away? Why are you denying what your heart knows to be right?" "I...I don't know..." She slowly met his gaze. "What am I supposed to do, Gunther?" Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Shake It Up.**

**No More Running **

**Chapter One**

_"I'll be right back. I'm going to get my little cookie, a little cookie."_

_She watched him as he headed into the bakery, and then she heard an outburst of laughter. She spun around._

_"Would you mind telling me why you think this is so funny?" she asked her so-called best friend._

_"Because you deserve it," was the reply. "Maybe next time you won't give out advice when your brain is not on speaking terms with your mouth."_

_She groaned inwardly, sitting back down in her chair. "How much longer do I have to do this?"_

_"Well, he hasn't said anything about moving back to the old country. So after the dance, you can let him down easy."_

_A certain feeling returned to her chest. Guilt. She knew it was her own fault that caused this mess, and now she had charged herself to clean it up. Even if it meant pretending to date him..._ *

* * *

_"Gunther, do you honestly believe that I'm in love with you?"_

_He casually placed an arm around her shoulders. "The camera does not lie, baybee," he grinned._

_She let out a soft laugh. "Neither do I, Gunther...Now you can either leave on your own or in an ambulance..." She smiled sweetly. "Either way works for me."_

_He got her warning and jumped off the couch at once, heading straight for the door. But before he went on his way, he turned around and said, "Oh CeCe, I love the way you play hard-to-get."_

_She made a sound of annoyance and pushed him out of her apartment._ **

* * *

Late afternoon sunshine peeked down on the streets of Chicago until the sun disappeared behind the bank of dark, threatening clouds that had formed over the city earlier in the day. A gust of dreary wind blew from the east, and the air smelled of rain. I was running.

Running away as fast as my feet could take me toward home.

I didn't care that it was chilly. Nor did I care when the grey clouds finally decided to overturn their buckets upon the world, and I felt the very first raindrops land right on my cheeks. It was lightly raining by the time I reached my apartment building. My red hair was soaked and my clothes had become damp. I hurried up the front steps and pushed the door open with a great force.

I was faced with questions when I returned to my family's apartment ("Why do you look like you just ran a mile?" "Why are you all wet?"), but I avoided answering them and went straight to the bathroom for a shower.

At dinner, I found that I lost my appetite for food. My stepfather, Jeremy, had cooked a delicious-looking meal, but all that I could manage to chew and swallow were a few uneasy bites. Then I resigned myself to staring at the leftover pasta on my plate and pushing it around carefully with my fork.

"CeCe?"

I glanced up, snapping back into reality.

"Are you alright?" my mother asked, looking concerned.

I hesitated. They were waiting for me to speak, but I didn't know what to tell them. My fork landed with a soft _clatter_ as I placed it on the table. "I'm fine, Mom," I lied. "I'm just not very hungry. May I be excused?"

"Sure, honey..."

I escaped to my room and closed the door shut. Then I flopped onto my bed. I let out a heavy sigh, staring at the ceiling as my thoughts wandered...

* * *

_"I can't tell you how much I admire you, CeCe."_

_CeCe's eyes were wide with surprise and disbelief. "What? Why?"_

_Gunther stepped closer to her so that they were almost touching. "Because you are your own person, and you don't let anyone change that. You take a stand when something doesn't seem right to you. You're not afraid to take risks and jump in. You are unique, and as insufferable you may be, I consider it an honor to be in your company."_

_Her heart had fluttered at his words, but her brain stubbornly refused to believe it. She could tell from his voice and his eyes that he spoke the truth._

_"I know that I used to be unkind to you," he continued, "but it was all to hide the truth, what I really felt."_

_"What...what were you hiding?"_

_He took a deep breath. "That I like you, CeCe. A lot. I should've told you this a long time ago. And for the record, I believe that you're an amazing dancer."_

_A lump rose in her throat, and her eyes became teary. She squeezed them shut._ No. Please not right now. Don't you dare cry in front of him… _"You can't be in love with me, Gunther," said CeCe, her voice cracking slightly. "You can't." The redhead started to walk away._

_"And why not?"_

_CeCe froze in place._

_"Why are you fighting your feelings and running away? Why are you denying what your heart knows to be right?_

_She turned, looking down at the grass beneath her feet. "I...I don't know..." She slowly met his gaze. "What am I supposed to do, Gunther?"_

_"Just answer one question for me, CeCe. In all honesty, what am I to you?"_

_CeCe searched desperately for an answer, but it was futile. "I…I…I'm sorry, Gunther. I honestly don't know right now. I'm really sorry…" A tear slid down her face, and he moved to try and comfort her. But she quickly recoiled and shook her head._

_"Please don't. I need time to think. Alone."_

_"I understand," Gunther sighed, nodding to her. "I'm sorry, CeCe."_

_"I just need to figure this out myself, Gunther. But I promise you...I'll give you my answer when I've come to a decision." And with that stated, CeCe began to leave again. She took a couple steps, glancing back at Gunther at the last moment before she ran..._

* * *

_"Why are you fighting your feelings and running away?"_

Why did I run?

_"In all honesty, what am I to you?"_

His questions swirled endlessly in my mind, almost making me feel dizzy. What was he to me?

He and his twin sister Tinka had been like friendly rivals to Rocky and I since we were in elementary school. We disliked them, and they disliked us. That was how it had always been. Gunther Hessenheffer had been nothing more than my frenemy.

Then about five months ago, Gunther traveled back to the old country to help take care of his ailing grandmother, and Tinka became a friend to Rocky and me. I never really gave Gunther much thought during his long absence. That was, until he returned to Chicago. Something was different. He too, had put the rivalry aside in favor of friendship, and he and I started talking more. His clothes got less sparkly and sometimes he would turn up in my mind when I least expected it.

A knock sounded on my bedroom door. "CeCe, honey?" It was my mom. The door opened, and she peeked in. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

What was the point of lying? "No, Mom, I'm not okay," I told her, sitting up.

She sat down next to me. "What's wrong?"

"Well, you know Gunther…?" Mom listened as I explained my dilemma. "What am I going to do? This is the hardest choice I have to make. If we start dating, will it even work out? How do I keep things from falling apart? I don't want it to end badly…"

Mom gave me a side hug. "I understand, you're afraid. I know what you're going through."

I gave her a surprised look. "You do?"

"You didn't think I was scared when I started seeing Jeremy, did you? I can't tell you what you should do. But I can say this. Don't be afraid to face reality. When you're really in love with someone, don't be afraid to take that chance before you lose it..."

* * *

*** from the episode **_**Hot Mess It Up**_

*** * from the episode **_**Reality Check It Up**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shake It Up.**

**A/N: Here is chapter two. Enjoy.**

**No More Running **

**Chapter Two**

"_Hello."_

_The seven-year-old glanced up. "Hi," he said shyly._

_CeCe Jones took a seat on the bench next to Gunther. It was recess time, and the rest of the first grade boys and girls were on the playground. _

"_Where's your sister?" she asked._

"_Tinka got sick, so Mama and Papa made her stay home," he answered, wondering why CeCe was talking to him. She was usually with her friend Rocky Blue. "Where's Rocky?" _

"_She's inside, reading." _

"_Really?"_

_CeCe nodded, and then she queried, "Why were you sitting here all by yourself?"_

_He shrugged. "Because." _

"_Okay…do you want to play with me?"_

"_You want me to play with you?" _

"_If you'd like to. Come on, we can play in the sandbox."_

_CeCe jumped up and skipped away, and her flaming red curls danced behind her…_

* * *

Moonlight was streaming through the window, giving my entire room a sort of silvery glow. It was nearly two in the morning, and I couldn't sleep.

I tossed and turned, in a hopeless battle with elusive slumber. I rolled over onto my side. And then I tossed and turned again. My bed sheets were becoming quite a tangled mess. I tried clearing my head, relaxing my entire body, and counting down from one hundred. None of that was working.

I sat upright and sighed, resting my head on my hands. After a quick trip to the kitchen for a glass of water, relieving my parched throat, I climbed back into my bed and tried to doze off again. Sleep still did not come, and I continued to toss and turn in restlessness.

Until finally, I gave up my efforts and I rolled over onto my back. I couldn't stop thinking about Gunther. I pictured a tall, fair-haired guy, his eyes sparking, and smiling down at me. A flood of memories, snippets from the past played through my mind like a slide show. Meeting him in first grade. Putting bugs in his sandwich. Bickering with him.

Inviting me to go to his mailman's funeral (although I had mistakenly thought it was really a surprise birthday party for me). He called me his friend and he showed up at my party. (_"I'm happy that you're all here, even you Gunther."_)

The reality show claiming I had a crush on him, and his flirting. (_"Oh CeCe, I love it when you play hard-to-get."_)

Him and I chosen to be on _Good Morning, Chicago _with eachother. Dancing with him on the stage. (_"Wow, you're amazing! You ever repeat that and I'll cut off your legs." "Well you could only be as good as your partner…")_

The advice webcast. Pretending to date him. The school dance. (_"You _are_ the best dancer on _Shake It Up, Chicago_." "Aw, that's so sweet. Do you really believe that?")_

I got out of bed again and opened my closet. At the far right end of the rack hung the dress that I was wearing to the dance that evening. It was mostly purple and sparkly, and I had planned to get rid of it somehow as soon as the dance was over. Throw it into the dumpster, maybe even burn it. Yet, for some reason, I never did any of those things. It just stayed in my closet, forgotten.

It was the same dress I wore during my first slow dance with him.

_"Fine! One dance. That's it."_

_CeCe started to bust out some moves, but then the song changed. It was a softer melody, one perfect for...slow dancing._

_"This song goes to all you love-birds out there," Rocky announced, speaking into a microphone. "You know who you are."_

_CeCe narrowed her eyes and sent an irritated glare in Rocky's direction. The brunette girl wasn't fazed by it and she traced a heart with her fingers, smiling mischievously._

_Before CeCe could even try to escape, Gunther reached out to grab her hand and pulled her into his arms. It happened so fast. And suddenly, she couldn't breathe. Her heart rate quickened. She was nearer to him than ever, near enough to feel his body heat. Something broke out inside her chest. It was a warm and unfamiliar sensation… _

For a rather long time, I didn't understand what it was. It came whenever I saw him. I preferred to ignore its very existence. Yet no matter how hard I tried…the feeling was always there. It settled deeply in my heart and refused to go away. Even while he was gone, it had suppressed itself and lingered around for him to return so it could come out of its camouflage.

And now I finally realized its name.

Love.

Yes…that feeling was called love.

He wasn't the coolest guy out there. He used to dress himself in sparkly outfits every single day, always matching his sister Tinka. He liked to talk about goats and he would say peculiar things. Sometimes, he acted self-centered. But he was not afraid to be different from everyone else. He was his own individual. I admired that.

I tried to imagine Gunther and me, together. Walking down a path. Holding hands and chatting. The sun would be setting, and we'd sit underneath a tree and watch it slowly descend the sky. He'd look at me with those blue eyes and his lips would curl into a smile because he enjoyed the sight of me…

The advice my mom had given me last night came back. _"__Don't be afraid to face reality. When you're truly in love with someone, don't be afraid to take that chance before you lose it..."_

No, I wasn't going risk this chance. Why? Because I was CeCe Jones, and I didn't like to lose without a fight.

* * *

During school on Monday, while everyone else was having lunch, I slipped a small piece of paper through one of the slots into Gunther's locker. The paper contained a message: _Gunther, could you meet me in front of my apartment after school? From, CeCe._

The end-of-lunch bell sounded and I left hastily. Hidden behind the long row of lockers, I watched as Gunther approached his locker. He opened it and the note came flying out, landing in right front of his feet. Gunther bent down to pick it up. He read it once and then he looked around the hallway. I stayed hidden.

At three o'clock, I was sitting on the steps in front of my apartment building, waiting for Gunther to arrive. It was a rather short wait, and I stood up as soon as I saw him coming.

"Hi," I greeted.

"Hello, CeCe," he replied.

I stepped toward him, taking a deep breath and preparing myself. "Gunther…I kept my promise…and I thought about everything that you said to me yesterday. I also promised that I would give you my answer when I felt ready. And well…I'm ready."

"You asked me why I keep running away. I'll tell you why. I ran because…because I was terrified. Terrified that I might have feelings for you. Maybe if I just shut my eyes and denied it, then these emotions would turn out to be just an illusion. But they were real. And you were right, Gunther, I have been fighting them. It's been that way for a long time. I wish for that to change. I don't want to be afraid anymore."

He nodded in understanding.

"You're a lot of things to me, Gunther. I care deeply, and honestly, about you. You're someone I want to be with. I like—no, that's not right."

I swallowed. Here goes…

"I…I love you."

Silence followed and I waited for him to react. His face was unreadable. Then the corners of his mouth started to twitch into a grin. "Really?" he responded, his voice hopeful.

I smiled back. "Yes. And I'm going to prove it." I moved closer and gingerly put my hands on his shoulders, leaning in.

At some point, I had laced my arms around his neck and he was holding me tightly as our lips pressed against eachother. The kiss…it was like flowers blooming in the sunshine. It filled me with an utmost joy that was almost beyond words. When the lack of oxygen became a problem, we broke apart. Then he picked me up and twirled me around.

"Thanks," he whispered.

**A/N: Not the end yet, there will be a short epilogue to follow. Thank you all for your reviews on the first chapter.**


	3. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shake It Up.**

**A/N: Sorry, this came a little later than I hoped. Enjoy.**

**No More Running **

**Epilogue**

An alert sounded from my phone and I picked it up. It was a text.

_I'll be there in 15 minutes, baybee._

_Can't wait!_ I typed in my reply and pressed the send button. Then I went to my room to start getting dressed.

It's been a full week since Gunther and I admitted the truth to eachother. Rocky had quite a reaction when she found out about everything. She went from stunned (_"You and…Gunther? How is that possible, I thought you hated him?"_), to slightly annoyed (_"Why didn't you tell me what you were going through?"_), and then cheerful. _("I can't believe you two are together, I'm so happy for you."_).

And how did Tinka react to it, you might ask? Let's just say that it was unexpected. Naturally, she was a little disgusted. Then she pulled me aside…

"_You will take care of him, right?"_

"_Of course…do you think I'm not good enough for your brother?"_

"_Not at all. I'm actually glad that he chose you, CeCe."_

"_Oh…thanks, Tinka. That means a lot."_

After I changed my clothes and put on some makeup, I came out just as he was knocking on the door. I swung it open.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Definitely," I said happily, closing the door and linking my arm with his.

Gunther and I were going on our first date this afternoon. A _real _date. I would have laughed at the notion a year ago. But life changes and people change. Let's face it: there are some things that we just can't run away from.

_Not The End…Just The Beginning_

**A/N: And it's complete. Thanks for the reviews, it was a pleasure writing this and sharing it with all of you. **


End file.
